Depthstriders Prompt 2

The Depthstriders' cavern was alive with light and laughter as Maple, Katholes and Varos entered the heart of this clans territory, they watched as young pups of the depthstriders chased after each other, splashes of paint adorning their coats whilst some tried to paint something onto the coat of their fellow haedians with a paintbrush they held securely in their maws. It was like a game of tag, with the consequences of being caught being that youd get some paint onto your pelt. Maple smiled as she watched the children play with Ornaax still leading the way- "ah yes, I nearly forgot our painting event. You are free to join. Our clan handmakes these paints and they do indeed glow in the dark, much like the magic crystals do." the leader haedian nods with a smile on their face. Katholes glanced about- this atmosphere of serenity still feeling alien and somehow wrong to them, though they intended to try and enjoy the festivities as much as they could, as such the red-coated puller stepped forward, giving a tenative smile at their friends, which was a very rare occurance on its own, before saying "I'd love for us to join. I haven't gotten to paint in the past so I think. It would be nice." Katholes felt awkward right after having expressed their wishes, adding a quick "thats all." to hopefully get eyes off of them again.

"Oh my- yes! I would love to!" said Maple, barely able to contain her excitement, with Varos joining in to nod, clearly showing he shared the tyrians sentiment. Varos chuckled, his long tail gently waggling behind him as he walked over to nudge Katholes as if to invite them to the twos excitement. The puller looked between his friends- then over to Ornaax and smiled, hesitantly, but honestly.

Noticing that Katholes too wasnt objecting only lead to Maples and Varos excitement increasing tenfold, seeing this Ornaax happily nodded, giving the group instructions as to how to obtain some paint of their own and whilst the leader of the depthstriders would have loved to spend more time with the travellers, he had to make sure that the pups of his clan didnt get into too much hijinx.

As the group of friends bid farewell to the leader they were soon approached by a friendly haedian, whose pelt had drawings of fishscales of multiple shades of glowing paint scattered over it in patches. "Heya!!" they said greeting the trio of friends with a small wave and broad grin, before pointing behind her in the same motion. "I couldn't help but notice that you three aren't from here- and you aren't glowing yet! I got a neat selection of paints in case you'd like to give it a go!! I can only highly recommend it." Maple gasped, enthralled by the paintings of scales that adorned the Haedian. "Oh you look stunning!! I might need help though." said the tyrian rubbing her two hands together, but the other Haedian waved her worries away just as Varos too wanted to tell Maple not to worry.

"We'll help you." said Katholes stepping up beside their friends, gesturing for the haedian to scoot him some paint over. Maple and Varos exchanged pleasantly surprised glances, the tyrian barely able to contain her giddyness. The haedian nods and leaves, returning with a few glowing paints after a brief discussion amongst the group as to what Maple would like to have painted on her coat. "I was actually thinking of some maple leaves, you know- my namesake, but I also wanted to bring in some influence from the depthstriders territory too, so maybe some wave motifs too?" Katholes chuckled softly at their friends enthusiasm and the fact that they were probably putting way too much faith into their drawing abilities. "I see what I can do." is what the redcoated Puller responded, hesitantly pushing one of the paint containeers over to Varos to quietly ask for their help which netted Katholes a beaming grin from the Chaser. The two got to work, trying their best to adorn their friends coat with the things she had asked for, but it was clear that neither of them were very skilled artists.

Regardless of a lack of artistic skill, once Maples coat had been painted it was now Katholes and Varos turn to get painted. Whilst Maple adored the things drawn on her coat by her friends she too had a mischievious thought cross her mind and not enough self restraint to shake said thought. She quickly plunged both her hands into two different paint buckets and then bapped each paw onto her friends coat, catching Varos face with a yellow glowing paint and Katholes hindleg with a bright green glowing paint. Varos immediately went to join in, chasing after his two friends with a brush he had dipped into some purple glowing paint. The three would chase one another, their coats becoming more and more colorful as they each lost rounds of tag, splashes of bioluminescent paint smeared, splashed, painted or handstamped onto their coats was what each of them was left with after the fun was done. Katholes, Varos and Maple had been so absorbed in the moment that only now after they had abandoned any restraint with the paint had they realised how chaotic each of them looked, but none of them seemed to mind as the group of friends shared an honest laugh amongst themselves. They knew that even if there were a contest to crown the most beautifully painted haedians and they were allowed to participate that they would never win with how they looked.